Lebedev AARON (Aaron Lebedeff) (1873-1960) - is a theater patron, a poet , a composer and performer of Jewish songs was born in Gomel ( Belarus) into the family of a merchant . As a child, Aaron was more interested in singing in the synagogue than learning at school. To escape from working in his father’s store, the boy fled to Minsk with drive-through Gomel - Russian theater troupe «Bohroisk». After the collapse of the collective, Lebedev returned to his hometown, where he opened a dance school and also began to play in amateur productions in Yiddish. When Gomel visited one of the Lazar Bernstein first professional theater companies that played in Yiddish, Aaron Lebedev went there to work . At first, he did everything - he sang in the choir, worked as an attendant in the coat room as well as a production assistant. After a while he began to perform in the productions, and later moved to the theater «Pipkincr Rav in Shomer's Baal Tshuva». A little later, Lebedev appealed to the operetta , which fully revealed his vocal talents. After years of wandering in the theaters star Aaron Lebedev has finally risen in Warsaw in 1912 , where he became better known as Der Litvisher Komiker. Thus began his theatrical career full, interrupted by short periods of service in the Army Kerensky in Harbin and Manchuria. In the end, the singer gathered together all his savings to pay off the service, and a year-long road through Siberia , Manchuria , China and Japan , came to the United States . In 1920, Aaron was in New York, where he was immediately accepted into the troupe of the National Jewish Theater of Boris Tomaszewski, where he received the title role in the play " A clever fellow ." For sixteen years he has played every season on Second Avenue, not missing even one week of performances . The New York Times issued a theater review in October 1932, noting the success and talent of Aaron Lebedev in theater productions. At the age of sixty one ,he continued to play in the theater. He was questioned by a newspaper reporter about the secret of his eternal youth and elegance , Aaron Lebedev said, "it is necessary to dress well , eat and drink what you love and stay in love ever ." With the huge success of women , the actor was happily married to actress Vera Lebedev ( Rebecca Schechtman ) . Aaron performed in the Jewish theater, as well as on the radio.T his occurred late in life. Among his most notable roles he was involved in musicals «Malkele» (1937 ), «Bublitchki» ( 1938), in which he played with Molly Picon and many, many others. Aaron Lebedev had a beautiful lyrical voice. He recorded a lot of vinyl records with songs in English and Yiddish. He is said to have lived one of the longest lives among theater artists Broadway..

EnglishOh! Rumania, Rumania, Rumania … Once there was a land, sweet and lovely. Oh! Rumania, Rumania, Rumania … Once there was a land, sweet and fine. To live there is a pleasure; What your heart desires you can get; A mamalige, a pastrami, a karnatzl, And a glass of wine, aha … !

Ay, in Rumania life is so good; No one knows of care; Everywhere they’re drinking wine - And having a bite of kashtaval. Hay, digadi dam …

Ay, in Rumania life is so good; No one knows of worry. They drink wine, though it’s late; And have a bite of kastrovet. Hay, digadi dam …

Oh, my, help, I’m going crazy! I care only for brinze and mamalige I dance and jump up to the ceiling When I eat a patlazhele. Dzing ma, tay yidldi tam … What a pleasure, what could be better! Oh, the only delight is Rumanian wine.

Rumanians drink wine And eat mamalige; And he who kisses his own wife, Is the one who’s crazy. Zets, dzing ma, tay yidl di tam …

And the girl pouts, alas, Seems unwilling, but allows it. Tshu!

It’s good to kiss a lass When she’s sweet sixteen; When one kisses an old main, She begins to grumble. Zets! Tay yidl di dam … What a pleasure, what could be better! Oh, the only delight is Rumanian wine …